Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

कथं कर्तुमहं शक्तः कर्म तत्र दिशाद्भुतम् । कुरु मे बुद्धिसाहाय्यं निर्जने बंधुतां गतः

Transliteration

kathaṃ kartumahaṃ śaktaḥ karma tatra diśādbhutam | kuru me buddhisāhāyyaṃ nirjane baṃdhutāṃ gataḥ

Translation

Comment pourrais-je accomplir cette œuvre merveilleuse, comme au-delà de toute portée ? Accorde-moi le secours de la juste intelligence—car en ce lieu désert tu es devenu pour moi comme un parent.

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययम् / interrogative adverb)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Karma (Object of ability/intent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), कृ-धातोः

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative)

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Karta (Predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शक्-सम्भव/शक्त-विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (able)

• कर्म: the act/work
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक / locative adverb)

• दिशा: by direction / by indication
• दिशा: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental)

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful, marvelous
• अद्भुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying कर्म)

• कुरु: do (please do)
• कुरु: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/for me)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, षष्ठी (Genitive)

• बुद्धि-साहाय्यम्: help of counsel / guidance
• बुद्धि-साहाय्यम्: Karma (Object of कुरु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + साहाय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बुद्धेः साहाय्यम् = help of counsel)

• निर्जने: in a lonely place
• निर्जने: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Locative); स्थानवाचक

• बंधुताम्: kinship, friendliness
• बंधुताम्: Karma (Object with गतः: attained)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बंधुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative)

• गतः: having attained / having come to
• गतः: Karta (Predicate participle of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (one who has gone/attained)

Speaker

Tvāṣṭra (the seeker)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone brahmacārin in a quiet forest clearing folds hands before a compassionate ascetic, pleading for guidance; distant suggestion of Kāśī’s sanctity as an unseen spiritual axis.

Characters & Entities

• Tvāṣṭra
• Tāpasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma feels difficult, one should seek wise counsel; spiritual friendship in solitude becomes a lifeline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative belongs to Kāśīkhaṇḍa, oriented toward Kāśī and Viśveśvara’s grace, though this verse is a personal plea for guidance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the request is for buddhi (discernment) and instruction.